The present invention relates to the field of speech analysis.
A patient's clinical outcome is usually better the earlier a healthcare professional is able to detect and diagnosis their pathology. Health screenings for skin cancer are easily administered and are sometimes sponsored by community groups, often without charge to the patient. In contrast, pulmonary diagnostic tests are generally difficult to administer and require a high degree of cooperation from patients.
Pulmonary baseline screenings are used in some industrial settings where a worker might inadvertently be exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals that may cause pulmonary damage. Taking a baseline on the first day of employment and then again after an incident occurs may aid a physician in determining if the worker has sustained any respiratory damage. If there are changes from the baseline, the physician may order a complete diagnostic battery of tests in order to assess the extent of the injury.
Present technology requires the conscious cooperation of the patient in order to create a useful baseline measurement. A trained medical professional normally administers the baseline pulmonary screening, which can be a costly endeavor. This cost and level of commit before a screening is conducted may function as an entry barrier to having any screening done.